Calgary Anxiety Disorders Counselling Therapy

Michael Haggstrom, RCSW, Doctor in Counselling

“Some anxiety is normal for everyone, but chronic anxiety is not.
Having peace of mind is worth everything.”

Are you experiencing negative thinking, unreasonable fears or feeling overwhelmed? You may be suffering from an anxiety disorder.

“My mind races and I just can’t stop it no matter what I do.”
“I’m afraid I will do something that will embarrass me in front of others. So, I keep to myself.”
“I get overwhelmed and everything goes blank. I freeze and lose all train of thought.”
“I find it hard to feel confident about the future. I keep imagining the worst case scenario.”
“Failure terrifies me. I try to be perfect in all I do to avoid being criticized.

Did you know…?

➤ In any given year, 12% of all Canadians will have an anxiety disorder
➤ 20-25% of Canadians will have at least one anxiety disorder in their life time
➤ 49% of those suffering with an anxiety disorder never see a doctor

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2 Categories for Anxiety

1. Normal

Certain everyday anxieties are healthy and normal; for example, healthy anxiety reminds us to complete an overdue project, pay our bills, repair a leaky faucet or study for an upcoming exam. This kind of anxiety motivates to get jobs done that need taking care of. Once the task is complete, the anxiety goes away and we feel good again.

2. Abnormal

Anxiety is abnormal when it is:

1) Chronic and

2) Severely interferes with your personal well-being, health, relationship or professional life.

Anxiety disorders have a wide range of symptoms that negatively affect the way we think, feel and behave. Untreated anxiety creates a diminished life, problematic relationships and make us feel very unhappy.

WATCH this Short Video – Anxiety Disorders & Treatment

The 5 Anxieties

GAD - Generalized Anxiety Disorder

Generalized Anxiety Disorder is characterized by a persistent excessive anxiety and worry that is accompanied by somatic symptoms such as muscle tension. You worry excessively and fear the worst in life’s situations asking yourself “what ifs” at every turn. Your concerns are exaggerated and not realistic, yet in the moment they feel very real and cannot be shaken.

Social Anxiety

Social phobia, or social anxiety disorder, is characterized by fear of situations where there is the risk of embarrassment in front of others. You may have a fear of speaking in the presence of others; or even eating in public or using public washrooms. The fear is worse if you feel that you could be singled out or made fun of. You may know that the fear is unreasonable, yet you cannot defeat it. You then start to avoid the situations that provoke the anxiety and isolate, which in turn cause difficulties with work, school and other daily activities. 7% of all Canadians will have social anxiety at any given time.

OCD - Obsessive Compulsive Disorder

Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is characterized by obsession and compulsions. The obsessions are persistent thoughts that produce anxiety with urges (compulsions) to perform receptive, ritual-like behaviours to ease and control the thoughts. OCD often begins in childhood and is gradual. Without treatment the disorder gets worse over time. It takes an average 10 years for someone with OCD to get help.

Panic Disorder

Panic disorder is characterized by sudden episodes of intense fear with palpitations, chest pains, nausea, trouble breathing, terror and fear of losing control. You may think you are having a heart attack or even dying. It can happen at any time, in the day or night, almost for no reason. Early diagnosis and treatment is key to recovery and good mental health. When treated, 70-90% of patients show significant improvement of their symptoms.

PTSD - Post Traumatic Stress Disorder

Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is caused by a traumatic event that is experienced as threatening such as assault, rape, war, car accidents, abuse and natural disasters. It causes intense fear, hopeless and horror. It can cause depression, anxiety, flashbacks, difficulty sleeping with feelings of shame or guilt. About 8% of the Canadian population will experience PTSD in any given year. Children can experience PTSD when they are abused, when they witness recurrent fights of their parents or their care and protection is threatened.

Calgary Anxiety Disorders Counselling Therapy

Anxiety Counselling can help you…

✓  Learn how to control your thoughts
✓  Experience greater calm and peace
✓ Decrease your levels of worry
✓  Enjoy life more and not be so overwhelmed
✓ Develop confidence around other people
✓  Learn how to calm yourself when panic sets in
✓  Heal painful memories triggering anxiety

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People experiencing anxiety don’t need to continue being overwhelmed. Counselling therapy has proven to be effective in helping treat anxiety disorders. With professional help you can live a more fulfilling and peaceful life.

There are many approaches to helping clients with anxiety. Therapies we offer to our clients may include aspects of:

Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) – Psychotherapy – Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing (EMDR) – Gradual Exposure Therapy – Exposure Ritual Prevention (ERP) – Psychodynamic Therapies – Supportive Therapy – Emotion-Focused Therapy (EFT) – Depth Therapies – Interpersonal Therapy and Narrative Therapy

Here in Calgary, I seek to help clients develop tools and skills to master their emotions and work through their anxiety.

Call Us or Email. You can also schedule your free phone consultation below – Michael Haggstrom, RCSW, Doctor in Counselling, Calgary

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